Centre allows Sudarshan News to air controversial #UPSCJihad show

Suresh Chavhanke has promoted the show Bindas Bol, as an ‘expose’ on what he terms as ‘infiltration’ of Muslims in the Civil Services

Image Courtesy:newstrack24x7.co

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union Government has “allowed” Sudarshan News channel and its Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke to broadcast the controversial show ‘Bindas Bol’ which had been stayed by the High Court earlier. A jubilant Chavhanke declared that this show will be aired on Friday, September 11. He then went on to share the same communal toned promotional clip that he had done before, and ignited a massive controversy. 

Chavhanke once again advertised the show as an ‘expose’ on Jamia Milia Islamia and the Muslim community, claiming that the success of Jamia Milia Islamia students in the Civil Services examination 2020 was “a conspiracy to infiltrate the civil service by Muslims”. He still continues to advertise his media trial and ‘investigation’ on the issue.

 

Once again the promotional clip which is blatantly communal has gone viral. The Delhi High Court, on August 29, had directed the Centre to decide on the complaints received against the proposed show. It had ordered a stay on the show’s broadcast till the Centre took a decision in the matter.

Soon enough the Central Government allowed Chavhanke’s Sudarshan News channel to telecast a show on what the channel has branded as their “investigation” into what they allege is the “infiltration of Muslims” in the Civil Services. According to Live Law, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting  “Directs @SudarshanNewsTV to broadcast the programme #BindasBol by ensuring that the programme does not violate any of the programme Codes.” The ministry has also  directed the channel to “ensure that the show proposed to be telecast did not violate any programme code”, adding that action would be taken if any violation of the law was found.

 

However, emboldened by the permission Chavhanke did not seem to believe any action would be taken if he violated any ethical codes, and continued to use derogatory terms like #UPSCJihad to promote this show as he had done before.  

 

According to news reports, the channel in it’s written submission had stated before the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that its show was “not violative of the law” and added that if at all the programme was found to be violative, action as per law could be taken. The Centre had responded after the Delhi High Court, on August 29, directed it to decide on the complaints received against the proposed show. The stay was granted till the Centre took a decision in the matter.

The Delhi High Court had put the brakes on Suresh Chavhanke’s plan to air his show that alleged that there had been an “infiltration of Muslims” in India’s civil services. Last week, the Delhi High Court ordered a stay on the broadcast of this show, which was being advertised by Chavhanke on social media, using hashtags such as ‘#UPSCJihad’.  The stay was ordered by a single-judge bench presided by Justice Navin Chawla, who issued a restraint order against the broadcast on a plea filed by former and current students of Jamia Millia Islamia University. The judge also issued notice to the Centre, UPSC, Sudarshan News channel and its Editor-in-Chief Chavhanke. 

In an order issued Thursday, the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry said it cannot pre-censor a programme, or stop it from being telecast. The Print reported the order as stating, “If only, when the programme is telecast and any violation of law is found, action can be taken”. 

The news report added that in its order, the ministry called the controversy surrounding the show a “peculiar situation” where the programme has not yet been telecast but has drawn complaints on the basis of its promo. The ministry said it had sent a notice to Sudarshan News seeking its comments on whether the show adheres to the programme code. The channel replied in a written submission that it is not violative of the law and action can be taken against it if the show turns out to be, stated the news report.

“…Sudarshan TV is hereby directed to ensure that the programme proposed to be telecast does not violate any of the programme codes,” the ministry said in its order, reported The Print.

Chavhanke had advertised the show as an ‘expose’ on Jamia Milia Islamia and the Muslim community, claiming that the success of Jamia Milia Islamia students in the Civil Services examination 2020 was “a conspiracy to infiltrate the civil service by Muslims”. He still continues to advertise his media trial and ‘investigation’ on the issue.

 

The plea filed through advocate Shadan Farasat contended that Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV, openly engaged in hate speech and defamation against students of Jamia Milia Islamia and the Muslim community. Chavhanke’s promotional video,  had claimed that the success of Jamia Millia Islamia students in the Civil Services examination 2020 represented a conspiracy to infiltrate the civil service by Muslims.

The advocate appearing for the Central Government had informed the court it had sought a clarification from the channel after receiving several complaints regarding the programme which was set to be broadcast on Sudarshan News TV on August 28 at 8 pm. According to reports, the Supreme Court while hearing a similar plea albeit filed by a different petitioner had  refused to stay the broadcast of the same show. A two-judge bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and K M Joseph said that the court had to be circumspect in imposing a prior restraint on the publication or the airing of views on the basis of an unverified transcript of a 49-second clip.

Meanwhile, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has filed a complaint with the  News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) in connection with the communally inflammatory promotional video for a show on the presence of minorities in public service. This complaint is against Sudarshan News’s trailer of the show alleging ‘UPSC Jihad’. The channel’s Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke is seen and heard in the video saying, “How has there been a sudden rise in the number of Muslims in IAS and IPS? What is the secret behind scoring high marks in such a difficult exam? If Jihadis of Jamia become your Collectors and Chief Secretaries, what will happen then? The big reveal on the Executive being infiltrated.”

He had shared that the show was going to be an ‘expose’ on “Muslamano ki Ghuspaith ke shadantra ka bada khulasa (The conspiracy behind Muslim infiltration in UPSC – The Big Reveal).  The CJP complaint brings to the NBSA’s notice that Chavhanke is known to have published such derogatory and venomous comments targeting the religious minorities in the past. He has also been previously arrested by the Lucknow police for inciting communal hatred. Among the many criminal charges him, also include charges of rape, attempt to murder and fraud, as per FIR filed by a former employee of Sudarshan news channel, in 2016.

The complaint further brings before the NBSA the many criticisms faced by the news channel on account of the promotional video of the show. More than 1,700 citizens — including prominent journalists, film directors, lawyers and civil society members — have written to seven chief ministers, demanding that an FIR be registered against Chavhanke for spreading ‘hate speech’. Further, even Jamia Teachers’ Association has urged the university administration to file a criminal defamation suit against Chavhanke for making offensive remarks after brilliant performances of Muslim aspirants in the recent examination held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The show stands to violate the code of ethics and standards on reportage as set out by NBSA from time to time such as acting in public interest, avoiding creating panic and distress, avoiding offensive language, avoiding religious stereotyping and so on. Further, it also amounts to various offences under the Indian Penal Code such as promoting enmity, causing disharmony, outraging religious feelings and so on, which have been mentioned in detail in the complaint.

The complaint states, “These discriminatory statements and unverified claims amount to generating an atmosphere that can lead to mass violence and targeting of the Muslim community. The Muslim community has been subjected to hate speech and vehement hate propaganda in the past few years and the TV news media has especially been complicit and an active participant in driving this narrative.” Here is the real news behind Suresh Chavhanke’s fake news factory:

However there is no mention of “UPSC Jihad” in the court’s order. And Chavhanke has declared that this show will be aired on Friday.

 

 

Related: 

CJP calls out Sudarshan News’ hate agenda; moves NBSA
Promoting fraternity: Courts to the rescue
Delhi HC stays broadcast of Suresh Chavhanke’s ‘UPSC Jihad’ show

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